138 episodes
Criminal Records Podcast Demetria Spinrad and Isaac Meyer
-
- History
-
-
4.5 • 57 Ratings
-
Criminal Records Podcast is a history show exploring the weird history of crime and punishment, from the earliest recorded murder case to the origins of laws that are in effect today. Join hosts Isaac Meyer and Demetria Spinrad on a wild journey through criminal justice systems all over the world.
You can listen to our episodes in any order, but we recommend starting with our most recent cases and working your way back through our catalogue. We’ve learned a lot about audio editing and structuring hour-long episodes since we first started in 2018!
-
We'll be back in a bit!
Hello listeners! Isaac is entering final paper grading/rec letter writing season on top of planning an international exchange school trip for some of his students in May. I've also got plans to visit family on the east coast this month.
Instead of rushing out episodes to cover the time we'll be too busy to record, we decided to hit pause on Criminal Records Podcast for a month. If you're a patron, we've paused billing for the month of May so you won't be hit with charges for content we're not putting out. We'll be back in June with some new weird cases! -
The Ulysses Trial
If the obscene material you're distributing is so avant-garde that most readers can't tell it's actually obscene, did you commit a crime or not? This week, we're getting into the trial of the scandalous literary magazine editors who brought the work of James Joyce to America.
Sources and show notes at this link
Support the show on Patreon -
Two small scams
Not all scam artists prey on suckers’ desire to get rich quick or cheat the system. Some of them prey on their marks’ better impulses, like their love for their pet dogs or their willingness to help a stranger in an emergency.
Content note: This episode contains discussion of animal cruelty and inhumane and misguided medical practices. It contains some outdated language about epilepsy.
Sources and show notes at this link
Support the show on Patreon -
British Prison Reform
With options for getting rid of its convicts drying up, Britain started thinking about reforming both its prisons and the prisoners inside them. The intention behind these prison reforms was great. But attempts to create a better prison system involved wild philosophy experiments in real life, a lot of Bibles, a lot of time to think in silence, and... treadmills?
Sources and show notes at this link
Support the show on Patreon -
Abortion in Modern Japan
Is abortion legal in Japan? No, but also yes. Join us on a journey through history to learn about how modern abortion law developed in a legal system that didn't treat fetuses as legal persons but did want to count them as future taxpayers.
Content note: This episode is about abortion. It contains discussions of miscarriages, the complications of improper administration of abortifacients, forced sterilization, sexually transmitted diseases, and sex work.
Sources and show notes at this link
Support the show on Patreon -
The Yakuza
We're out of the country for a family memorial service and didn't have time to record a Criminal Records episode for the week. But that doesn't mean we're out of crime content! This week, we've cleaned up and cut together some of Isaac's very, very old History of Japan audio to bring you the history of Japanese organized crime.
Customer Reviews
Esoteric education made fun.
Full disclosure, I am Isaac Meyer’s dad.
Nonetheless, I can say, without hesitation, that Demetria and Isaac consistently present us with fascinating stories of some of them more nutty aspects of the human condition. The attention to detail, the humor, and the underlying seriousness in most of these episodes, is both enlightening and entertaining. If only more educational programs we like these episodes of criminal records.
Bravo!
OMG you went there!
1. I love listening to Isaac and Demetria dig up odds and ends, on the path to who knows where. They pick and tease out the details that make these crimes truly human without sensationalizing them or losing sight of what makes them relevant to us today.
2. The Robinhood episode includes Rocket Robin Hood. Which makes this the absolute best podcast in the history of podcasting.
My favorite true crime podcast, hands down!
I love the way Isaac and Demetria use historical criminal cases as a way to gain insight into the societies in which they took place. Thanks to them, I’ve learned a ton about different legal systems, not to mention the social construction of crime itself! Add in some genuinely good-natured humor and we have a recipe for a great listening experience.